Code: Transforminitive
by Teen-Lyokofan7777
Summary: When Cassidy and the others exhibit some strange new Earth power, how will their lives change? Find out, on Code: Transforminitive Rated T 2 b safe.
1. First Victim

**This is new for me. Doing a crossover with a story that hasn't been published yet. Aw well. Here I go. Code Lyoko isn't mine. Animals of Emotion and Cassidy are. And yes, XANA is a good guy again. And it starts out in Aelita and Cassidy's dorm room.**

We've been through worse. Lyoko missions, school, classes, Duo, Monsters, and so many more. But none of us had gone through what we did. It isn't as horrible as Duo possessions or anything like that. But it gets worse as this story wears on.

We were in our dorm when it all began. Aelita was rifling through some of my (hopefully good) stories on her computer when she noticed my _Animals of Emotion_ story. "Is it okay if I read this to everyone?"

I shrugged. "I don't mind. As long as everyone gets a chance to hear, that'll be just fine."

She started to read the story and I felt a flicker of pride. That was my favorite work, among other stories, but that one was a good one, full of action and adventure.

Odd started laughing. I looked to him. "What's so funny?"

He stopped Aelita, and started reading, "'"Could somebody carry me to the infirmary?" I mumbled.' I swear, Cassidy. We've been rubbing off on you a bit, huh, Cat-Girl?"

If I wasn't blushing with pride, I would be blushing for no reason. "I guess you guys did."

Aelita read on until where I stopped. There was laughter, some questions (which I answered), and a few instances where one or two of my friends blushed.

"That was great, Cassidy!" Odd patted me on the back. "It shows that I'm not the only one with a creative mind."

"Or a sense of humor," Ulrich cracked.

I felt really prideful but not egotistical. "It took an idea and all I had to do was transform it into a story."

"And that idea blossomed," Jeremie mused.

Odd looked to his watch. "Hey, come on guys. If we don't take ourselves down to the classroom in a few minutes, we're not going to blossom."

I nodded. "Let's go."

In science class we had a substitute teacher. "Mrs. Hertz wasn't feeling well, so Mr. Delmas asked me personally to take her place." His name was Mr. Devon (Dee-Vaughn). He looked like that mathematician that came to take Mrs. Mayer's place that one day. Except he didn't have any glasses and had blond hair.

He was staring at me as if I knew the answer to his upcoming question. "I would like to take role call first. That way I know everyone by name." He started from A to Z, and when he got to my name, my brain went blank as if I had lost my memory. "Aye!" I called when he called my name for the third time.

Jeremie looked to me in worry. "Are you okay, Cassidy?"

I was at a blank, as if I had amnesia. "Um…am I?" Black stars started clotting my vision. With a thud, I fell to the floor.

"Cassidy!" Ulrich was calling me. "If this is one of your gotcha jokes, we aren't buying it."

At an utter loss, I tried to look at him. "What's going on?"

"Do you think it's that one guy doing it?" I heard Aelita ask. I knew names and identities of people, but not what was going on or what condition I was in.

"What guy?" I asked, starting to black out.

Odd's voice was next to my ear. "You know, Duo."

"Oh, him? Why would…?" I couldn't finish my question as everything went into pitch-black darkness.


	2. Investigation

**Aelita's POV**

I have no idea on how this happened. Cassidy was fine when she entered the classroom and then she seemed to lose her memory and fainted. Our class was in uproar. They were shouting Cassidy's name, asking if she was okay, and some of them were in a panic.

We as the Lyoko Warriors stayed calm while, at the same time inside, we were panicking. Ulrich tried to wake our friend up, but she stayed unconscious.

"Give me room! Give me room!" Jim yelled at some of the forming crowd. Some of the students gave him room and he got to my roommate. He knew the scene was safe as there was nothing dangerous around. He then checked Cassidy's vitals.

"She's breathing, and has a pulse. No need to do CPR, thank the Lord," his gruff, but caring, voice relieved us. He turned to me next. "How did this happen, Stones?"

"I don't know. She was doing fine this morning. We read one of her stories and came here. Mr. Devon was about to start class when this started," I said honestly.

"What did she have for breakfast?" Now that was strange to ask, but if her breakfast caused it, then it must've been poison or worse.

"Her usual croissant and hot chocolate," I knew what she had.

"If her heart and breathing are okay, then it's not poison. Did anyone slip her something in her hot chocolate?" he asked.

I turned out my pockets. "Not me."

The rest of my friends did the same. Odd had a ticket to see the Subsonics this afternoon. Ulrich only had his lucky Euro. Jeremie had nothing but his phone. XANA had his cell phone on him. We all had our phones on ourselves. What if Duo attacked?

Yumi was asked to come in by Jim. She was then asked to turn out her pockets. She did so as told. She always did what she was told unless Duo attacked.

Again he found nothing on her except her phone. He then asked to check our dorm rooms.

Jeremie's room was first. His closet was cleaned out to find nothing. His drawers were emptied but all they found were files of computer notes and CDs of data.

His regular journal was checked for any intent to kills but found none. His shelves were cleaned off to find absolutely nothing.

In short, Jeremie's room was clean.

Odd and Ulrich's room was next and Yumi was trusted with Kiwi for a few minutes. She hid him in a backpack that would help keep him from thrashing and scratch out.

Odd's drawers were emptied but Jim only found paint tubes and any various art tools of the trade. His closet was checked, but he found only an asinine Tamagotchi game (I can't believe he called it Jean-Pierre, after the principal).

His shelves were checked but nothing reared an ugly head. Since he didn't carry a diary or keep a blog or anything, there was no way of knowing his thoughts.

Ulrich was next to being checked. Jim found nothing, though, just a picture of Yumi, but that was all.

After, Kiwi was cleared to go back to Odd and Ulrich's room.

I was last but not least to be checked. I wasn't in the least nervous. All I wanted to know was would Cassidy be alright all alone at the infirmary.

Jim found nothing on me either. Next he called Yumi's parents to ask them if he could check Yumi's and Hiroki's rooms. They cleared him to go, but when he came back, there was nothing on my friend or her brother. "Everyone checks out with a clean slate."

That left the interrogation. He, now partnered with the principal, asked us all separately several questions about Cassidy's behavior, our behavior, and any intent to kill. We all answered with clear honesty. The principal rubbed his beard a little and said, "Well, since you five are totally honest and there is nothing to bring suspicion to you, you are all free to go."

"Thank you, sir," we chorused, relieved that it wasn't any of us.

We visited Cassidy. She was still out cold, but she was still alive. The nurse came in with something kind of half-serious half-positive. "I checked her blood earlier as Jim was interrogating you, and it turned out that she wasn't drugged."

We were in direct relief. That meant she fainted of natural causes.

At thirty minutes to five, Cassidy woke up. We all flew to her side. She blinked a few times before saying, "Whoa…"

"Are you okay?" Yumi took her hand in hers.

"Woozy," she lifted the other hand, rubbed her head a bit, and winced.

"What's wrong?" Ulrich asked in concern.

"Arm…hurts," she let go of Yumi's hand and nursed her sore arm.

"Yolanda had to take a blood sample to check if you were drugged," I said.

"Was I, Aelita?" She looked to me in a way that, to me, said, "I'm tired. Do I really need to have a big speech?"

"In one word, no," Jeremie told her.

Cassidy looked like someone rolled over her with a monster truck and a steamroller at the same time.

"I'm…" she tried to say the words she wanted, but we could tell that all she really wanted to do was sleep.

"Say no more," Ulrich smiled caringly. "We'll leave."

She nodded slowly as the words registered in her head. She lifted the arm that nursed the other and slowly signed to all of us the sign language term for thank you.

We all nodded and left.

"What a relief!" Odd said as soon as we were in the dorm area.

"I know," Ulrich said. "We nearly were arrested. My dad would have loved that." He dripped sarcasm in that last sentence. His dad sounded like a jerk, but I have never met him. Ulrich had always said to me every time I asked what his father looked like, "Trust me, Aelita. You don't want to ever meet him. He'll chew a person like you out like gum."

"Well, at least we aren't in jail," Odd suggested, trying to ease the tension.

"That's true!" Yumi agreed. "If we ended up in jail, we wouldn't be able to go to Lyoko again."

XANA nodded beside Jeremie. "And Duo would win."

"No kidding!" Ulrich shouted. "That would end humanity as we know it."

"Let's get off the subject," Jeremie finally broke his silence. "I'll check for any towers, if in the case Duo is attacking us."

I nodded. "I'll be in our dorm. I need to check something."

As I walked away, I thought back on that morning. Lucy Scarborough, the main character, had fainted in _Animals of Emotion,_ so I had to check if Cassidy was going to go through the same thing the next day.

I made it to our trashy bedroom. Thanks to G.I. Jim, our room was a mess. I cleaned our room first then went to my computer to check the story again. It told of fainting spells, weird dreams, sporadic pain, and animal transformations. Getting my fill, I checked my time. It was dinner time. And it was Odd's favorite: Mashed potatoes and gravy.

We got to the cafeteria on time, Odd getting his massive portion, and sat down.

"So you had a Subsonics ticket in your pocket for this afternoon," Ulrich teased.

"And I could've gone to the concert if it weren't for our situation. It started at five, but I didn't feel like going for Cassidy's sake," Odd admitted.

"I've asked my parents if I could stay with you for tonight, Aelita," Yumi told me. "They said yes."

I understood. When something got this bad, sometimes the best thing to be was together with your friends.


	3. Gaining Powers and Confrontation

**Chapter 3**

**Cassidy's POV**

After my friends left, I nursed my arm a bit more. It hurt like heck, and, on a more important note than my arm, I was still tired. I yawned a bit before closing my eyes. Things would get better in the morning, I figured. It should get better.

I didn't know if I was dreaming or what, but when I saw Mr. Devon, I figured it would get either better or worse.

"What was your deal?" I tried to ask him, but he didn't answer.

The next words were a shocker. "Now is the time I make you a transforminitive human, Cassidy."

I floated in shock. Those were the words from my story. Did he spy on us while we were in our dorm?

"There are the transforminitive humans and the non-transforminitive humans. They lived in peace for years. No wars broke out. At the age of preteen, the council decides whether he or she is a transforminitive human or not. I've been with this council. They say that you are transforminitive, and you are ready."

That deepened the core of my shock. "WHAT?**!**"

"Pain will be endured for two hours…"

"I know that! I wrote it myself! But how is this possible? Transforminitives is just fiction," I faced that when I wrote the book, but I didn't know that it would be true.

"Transforminitives have been wandering this earth for many a time. It isn't just fiction. It's a way of life. Like the social classes and the loser classes, transforminitives are a part of the social classes, like what your friends are going to be," He explained, shaking his head with a chuckle.

My eyes went wider than two planets. "You mean Yumi, Ulrich, Aelita, Jeremie, XANA and Odd are…" I couldn't bring myself to say it. How could I say it?

He nodded. "Like I said, transforminitives aren't only fiction."

I knew that if I didn't surrender to my new fate, this conversation would last until I woke up. "I—I think I am…"

"Ready? You are," Mr. Devon then spread his arms apart and, as a white light appeared, said, "By the power and the glory vested in me, I give you the powers."

The pain felt atrocious. Just like in my book, it felt like I was being given electricity shocks, over and over again. They came in powerful surges and I had to bear it.

My breath felt like it was knocked out of me. If having powers was going to be this painful, I would have deleted the story first chance I got.

About five minutes later, the pain stopped, and I could breathe again. "Should-*gasp* should I tell my friends on this?"

"No, they will not succumb to it if they knew," Mr. Devon told me.

"Can I keep this dream in my memory, then?" I asked.

"You may," he made a sweeping motion and he was gone.

I woke up in the infirmary in intense pain. Oh, yeah, I'll enjoy this. Note the sarcasm as you may.

Everything hurt, but I was still willing to keep it away. I waited for Yolanda to release me and I ran as fast as my long legs would allow.

I bet every student who was half asleep was hearing "Ow, ow, ow…" while brushing their teeth.

That cheered me up a tad as I made it to our dorm. She was gone, off to take a shower, I guess. I looked down to find Yumi still sleeping. She must've spent the night here. _Focus,_ my aching brain told me.

I tip-toed to my closet, opened it, grabbed some Midols, and was about to rush over to the door when the handle started turning. Crap. I'm going to get caught. And if I got caught, I would've been asked many questions.

Taking small tip-toeing strides, I made my way to my closet, forced myself inside and, quickly but quietly, closed the doors to a small crack.

The door opened to reveal Aelita, probably wet from her shower. She found her usual hooded jumper and maroon overalls and used her foot to wake Yumi up. "We get to see Cassidy today."

The pain still encircled every part of my body, but I managed to keep my mouth shut.

"She must've woken up from being tired last night," I heard Yumi yawn and stretch.

The two dressed and went away from the room. As soon as they left, I kicked the closet door open and ran to the bathroom. All the while, I bumped into Sissi. "Ugh, can't you look where you are going, you farsighted freak?"

_Well, good morning to you, too,_ I thought mercilessly in my pounding brain.

I faked a direction as she was about to corner me and ran inside the bathroom, grabbed a cup, filled it with water and took the two pills.

Suddenly painless, I sprinted to the door when I heard Yumi's voice. "She must've been discharged. I mean, after all, Yolanda told us that she was feeling better and released her."

I reeled backwards, again, bumping into Sissi. I turned to her and asked, "Am I going to spend the day bumping into you both backwards and forwards?"

She growled. "You are such a me magnet, today. I have had it!" she shrieked.

That did it. Aelita and Yumi came in and I was caught between the three. I sighed. "This is not the way I wanted you to see me."


	4. The Story behind The Fanfic

**Okay, so this is the story that is behind Code Transforminitive (the fic's all in one document if you know what I mean).**

**I OWN THIS STORY. NO PLAGAIRISM!**! **DON'T USE THE CHARACTERS, please, AS YOUR OWN! I hate stealers.**

**Animals of Emotion**

Prologue

The main thing about emotion is that when you think about it, you absorb it. And if you don't believe me, all you have to do is _feel_. That's all you have to do.

But for me, I'm different. I _feel_ and_ change_! I change into just about anything. Who am I, you ask.

I am Lucy Scarborough and this is my story.

Chapter 1

My story starts in the middle of Junior High School. My life was perfect. I had three best friends (Becky, Marsha, and Leshawna), one boyfriend, a good older sister, and the best darn parents that you've ever seen. I had straight A+'s to show, I had a beautiful singing-voice, and I could excel at Guitar Hero.

I could be at Harvard right at this moment, but I couldn't split from my friends and family. I couldn't live away from them for even ONE day. I would have a heart attack.

Anyway, my life was as normal as it could be. My friends liked the same things I liked. My boyfriend loves me. My older sister takes care of me. And my parents, they can be crazy but I love them anyway. My life was perfect.

I was going into science class with Becky, Leshawna, and Marsha, my best buds, while talking about our plans. We were going to see that new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie about the Chipmunks and the Chipettes on Saturday, which was after this day.

"And I heard that Jesse McCartney is Theodore!" Becky said, her brown-black hair glowing.

"No, way!" Marsha said.

"Way," said Becky.

"You serious," Leshawna asked.

"Mm-Hm!"

We got into our seats. Since my friends and I were born on the same day at the same time and our last names started with S's, we sat together. Most of our classmates call us the S Squad. We didn't mind it though. It was better than Same Day and Time Squad.

I sat in the desk near the door. It's been my seat since the start of the year.

My science teacher Mrs. Barkley came in. She had golden-brown hair that always stayed short. She wore a green lab coat over a blue short-sleeve shirt and blue pants. Before science, she would get ready even when we had lab. During and after science, you would never find a teacher as lively as her. She made the lesson more interesting, whatever the lesson was.

Today her green eyes were more on me than the whole class.

"Hello, class," she said, her voice even livelier than ever.

"Good morning, Mrs. Barkley," we all greeted her.

"Today we're going to learn about the sciences of energy." She held up one of those green light sticks. "Now—"

Suddenly the room spun and Mrs. Barkley's voice was garbled. Was she trying to get into my head? I wasn't sure. Suddenly, moments later, I was on the floor.

"Ms. Scarborough," she sounded scared now.

I tried sitting up, but all of a sudden, my body went slack. It never did that before. I had no health problems, so why was I going slack all of a sudden?

"Could somebody carry me to the infirmary?" I mumbled.

"I'll do it," Marsha volunteered.

"With me," Leshawna raised her hand.

I couldn't have had better friends. "Thanks."

Before I could hear anyone else, I passed out.

Chapter 2

Later, I woke up in the infirmary. It had a cot, which I was laying on, two desks, one for the nurse, and one for the aide, a sink to wash injuries and faces, and a table, to drink soda, eat crackers, and to take any medications if you needed to.

The nurse jumped when I woke up. "You're awake, Lucy."

"Yeah," I nodded, feeling strange.

"What happened?"

"I got dizzy and fell to the floor, while sitting, and then passed out!" I left out the part about Mrs. Barkley almost getting into my head. I didn't need to get my science teacher in trouble.

"Okay."

"What time is it?" I asked as I got up.

"It's 2:30 now," Nurse Verona said.

OMG! I passed out until near the end of school. That was so embarrassing for me.

"I should get to homeroom," I stood up, but then my knees buckled, so I slid down.

Nurse Verona shook her head. "I'll call your parents to pick you up. I suggest you get home and rest."

Curse you my body. I now have to be carried by my parents to my home.

I sighed inwardly. My parents work at a restaurant. They weren't even off work until my sister gets home, which should be now.

She called my parents and I was forced to lie on the cot some more. When my blond-haired dad came to get me, I was showing signs of getting better, gradually. He took me home, where my mom was. She was brown-haired and pretty. She wore a white apron (she's the head chef in the restaurant) and a white button-down shirt. She also wore black chef's pants and a toque. She has brown hair.

My sister, Julie, came into the room a minute later. "What happened, Lu?" She had golden-brown hair, which she always kept in a nice ponytail. Today she wore a purple top with the words I love my sister…, on the front, and on the back…Lucy Scarborough, and a maroon skirt with the word, Pretty, on the side.

"Something, weird," I hated to say that, but it was the only way I could say it.

"Weird…how?" Mom asked.

"My science teacher couldn't take her eyes off me." I shook my head as Dad let me down. "It was as if she was messing with me _in my mind_."

"Some teachers do that to all straight 'A' girls like you," Dad smiled.

"But this was weird; this time it was as if she was trying to make me go slack," I said.

Mom and Dad looked at each other like, would you like to call the funny barn or should I?

"I'm not a loon!" I yelled.

"We didn't say you were!" Dad soothed.

"You were thinking it," I pouted.

"Sorry," Mom walked over to me in her bare feet and gave me a hug.

Later, I was in my room, talking to my friends.

**Jimmy-jackd34—Becky**

**Louiziana3784—Leshawna**

**Tigurzrox4520—Me**

**Princess345—Marsha**

_**Jimmy-jackd34 has just signed in**_

_**Tigurzrox4520 has just signed in**_

_**Princess345 has just signed in**_

**Princess345—Where were you, Ti, we needed your strong arm in PE**

**Tigurzrox4520—I was in the infirmary for the entire day—IHT**

**Jimmy-jackd34—kk**

**Princess345—not cool, girl. We could've kicked butt in PE.**

**Tigurzrox4520—I know. I'm the strongest (emote of a smiley flexing its arm) player in PE.**

**Jimmy-jackd34—still cool for that Alvin and the Chipmunks movie?**

_**Louiziana3784 just signed in**_

**Louiziana3784—Wat up?**

**Princess345—Hi Leshawna.**

**Tigurzrox4520—Nothing much, u?**

**Jimmy-jackd34—Yay, our quartet is together.**

**Louiziana3784—I'm cool for the film.**

**Tigurzrox4520—Me 2.**

_**Tigurzrox4520 just signed off because she's tired**_

I had a hard day, and wanted to get to bed. So I threw my body to the Serta bed and fell to sleep.

Chapter 3

I dreamt that night. I was in a dark room, and I felt around for the light switch. I hated the dark. I sleep with a light on to keep the darkness out. I believe it's a psychological problem.

"Lucy." That voice sounded like my science teacher's voice.

"Mrs. Barkley?"

"Now is the time I make you a transforminitive human," her voice sounded lower than her actual voice.

"I don't understand…"

"There are the transforminitive humans and the non-transforminitive humans. They lived in peace for years. No wars broke out. At the age of preteen, the council decides whether he or she is a transforminitive human or not. I've been with this council. They say that you are transforminitive, and you are ready."

That shocked me to the core. "WHAT?"

"Relax, it'll be painful, but only for about two hours in the morning, then for two hours in the night, and then the pain will cease. If you panic, the pain will last for twenty-four hours." She got back up to tone.

Gee, that sounds like menstrual pain, but only two pains for two hours each, I guess I'll try to deal with it.

"What should I take for the pain?"

"Some type of pain medication. I heard Pamprin or Midol work best, though."

"I think I feel ready, then."

"Then by the power—" a white light came toward me. My eyes widened—"and the glory—" the light engulfed me, and I flinched—"vested in me, I give you the powers."

The pain was so intense it felt like I was being hit by lightning strikes. It came in waves so powerful I thought I would faint after this ordeal was over.

Mrs. Barkley's figure formed in front of me. Her green eyes were glowing but her face was of an "I'm sorry, Lucy, but it has to hurt" expression.

I tried to nod, but the wrath of the powers locked my neck and head in place. Trying to alleviate the wrath, I closed my eyes and saw millions of animals dance in front of my vision. It didn't help so I opened them up again. My science teacher was watching with tears in her eyes. She didn't want to do it, but it had to be done, I picked out. I could give her sympathy if I was able to say "It's okay, Mrs. Barkley". The soreness, mixed with my state of rigidity, cut off my voice.

It was still enough to make me black out. I couldn't believe this.

Fortunately, I didn't pass out. After the pain, there was a wave of relief.

"You will forget this dream, and that I was ever in it, Lucy," Mrs. Barkley told me.

But I never forgot the dream. I told you already.

Chapter 4

I woke up feeling immensely sore. My muscles felt like they just did a fitness test in six hours; my head felt like it took a hit from a bowling ball. My chest felt like a local neighborhood thug slugged me.

"Ow…" I groaned.

_Just a step away from the edge of the fall_

My cell phone was ringing, so I picked it up. "Hello," I said, keeping the pain from entering my voice.

"_Good morning, Lucy!"_ Marsha's voice came on the phone too strong and I almost threw my phone to the ground in shock.

"Morning, Marsh." I half-groaned, holding the pain at bay with my adrenaline reserve bank. "What are you doing up at five in the morning?"

"Duh, that's the time I usually get up, girl," Marsha smiled.

I covered the phone with one hand so I could groan a little louder but not over dramatically. Then I uncovered the phone and said, "Right. And what was the meaning of waking me up?"

"Just because. I'm not actually sure myself."

I forced myself to laugh so she knew I was enjoying it.

"So why are you up at this time?" Her next question caught me off guard.

"Me? I—I have no idea," I was genuinely confused.

"Relax, I was just yanking your chain. Gee, you're too easy to rile." I was surprised that her voice was a hint high pitched.

"Sorry, I had a little rough dream last night," I yawned, but that was a mistake of my own. That sent a wave of pain around the areas.

"Are you…"

"No, don't think that I'm having my…thing," I hastened, keeping my pain under wraps as fast as the wave came.

"Okay, see you this afternoon," she said.

"See you," I gritted, the pain was winning in the pain vs. adrenaline war. I regretted putting my adrenaline forces through that.

"Ugh, it feels like I'd been thrown to a wall," I said to myself after I hung up with Marsha.

My sister Julie just happened to pass by. "What was that, Lucy?"

"Nothing," I put on the falsest smile I could think of. Having never lied before, I regretted this. Honesty, I heard repeatedly from Dad, is the best policy. But this time I had to lie, even though I felt like crap after I said that word.

If my heart wasn't in so much pain, it would have sunk.

I put my feet on the floor and winced as the soreness was affecting them too. _Hot coals, _it felt like. _Burning hot coals._

But my feet weren't blackened.

Every vein in my body was throbbing, but not bulging. The two hour pain was not a walking picnic, I decided.

My lungs were screaming obscenities at me. Picking through, some of their explicit language was a way of saying, "I hate, _hate_ this pain."

My throbbing head transmitted a message, saying, "Will you quiet down? Ms. Scarborough has a headache."

I went to the bathroom, keeping quiet as to not attract attention. Deciding to take a shower, I gathered the materials I needed. I loved my favorite raspberry scented shampoo. It brought over so many good memories, like when I got my favorite music player at the age of eight. _Good times,_ I thought, _very, very good times._

The water seemed to be my enemy at first touch. Every inch of skin screeched under the water. I kept my mouth shut because that was how I was in the shower. Gradually, the pain quieted down with the water's help.

After I got dressed (which was a breeze, thanks to the shower), I went to the medicine cabinet and took a couple of Midol's from the bottle. I first put some water in my mouth and then I dunked the pills in it. Gulping the two pills down my sore throat, I smelled the first meal of the day—omelets and bacon.

Suddenly pain-free, I sprinted down the stairs and into the kitchen only to get caught by Julie, who was cooking breakfast. "What's gotten you up so early, Tiger?"

I smiled at my nickname. It was given to me by Dad when I mimicked a tiger's voice with perfection.

"Just…so excited to see the movie this afternoon," I lied, some of the emotional backslap pain of lying hitting me with all it had.

Julie cocked a brow while checking the bacon. "It doesn't start until one, right?"

"That's right!" I nodded.

"I can see why you're excited then," she nodded.

"What are your plans?" I asked.

"I think I'll be here, reading magazines, hanging out with my friends, or just playing with my PlayStation 2," she shrugged, stirring up the eggs just right.

I smiled. PlayStation was her game station (if you pardon my rhyme). She loved to play Guitar Hero either with me, her sweet twelve-year-old sister, or without me, both of which I didn't mind.

Dad came down a few minutes later, yawning, in blue striped pajamas and a purple sleeping cap. "What's gotten you up so early, girls?" he asked, in the middle of his yawn.

"Well, Lucy's cell phone rang, waking me up. Then I decided to make breakfast. After she got done talking to Marsha, I caught her saying something as I walked down the hall, but she said it was nothing. She took a shower a little bit afterwards, and I got out the materials." Oh, yeah, about my sister.

She's observant.

Dad shook his head in a smile. "Well, that may be for you, Julie, but what about you, Lucy?"

"I…got excited for the film day that my friends and I planned out, so I woke up at five, and everything that my sister said was true," I explained.

"Did you say something about a rough dream, too, little sister?"

Okay, _scratch that!_ She can be too observant.

"That's private!" I snapped.

My sister finished the second omelet, turned to me, and pulled on Snape's very low, monotonous voice. "Not to the Dark Lord, baby sister."

"It is too," I pouted.

She scoffed. "Whatever."

Chapter 5

I went to the movies at one in the afternoon with my friends. We all cheered at the end. It was great!

I came home with a smile on my face. "Hi, guys!"

Dad smiled from his daily news paper. "How was the film?"

"Great!" I smiled wider.

"We had dinner without you, if that is okay," Julie said.

"Oh, I don't mind," Then all of a sudden, the same pains happened again, and I was wracked with agony. But I didn't let my folks see it.

I took careful steps up the stairs, under the fear that a cry out of pain would cause my parents and sister to hear it.

"Going up to your room?" I could feel Julie's eyes on me.

I turned and nodded through my pain.

"Okay." I was almost relieved when she turned away from me.

_Whew,_ I thought through my throbbing head. _That was a close one._ Clambering to the medicine cabinet, I grabbed two Midol and did the routine.

It was as if the Midol was the pain switch. The soreness stopped automatically.

Later, I had gotten dinner and we were sitting around the table. I know, typical family stuff, but we were playing Slap. It was a card game that my sister always won at. But this time, my reflexes were faster somehow, and I ended up with the full deck before five minutes passed by.

Julie was wide-eyed. "How the heck did you do that?"

I stared at the deck in shock. How did I end up with the whole deck?

Dad was impressed. He went over to me, lifted one of my arms, and said, "Behold, our _newest _champion!"

Mom gave me a hug. "Well done, darling."

"Th-thanks," I managed to give out. "But it was nothing. I think my reflexes got a little faster."

After I walked into my room, I shut the door, got on my computer and found Becky, Marsha, and Leshawna were all online.

_**Jimmy-jackd34 has just signed in**_

_**Tigurzrox4520 has just signed in**_

_**Princess345 has just signed in**_

_**Louiziana3784 just signed in**_

**Tigurzrox4520: You won't believe what I just did.**

**Jimmy-jakd34: What did you do? (Emote of a smiley with a question mark on its head)**

**Tigurzrox4520: I actually beat my sister in Egyptian.**

**Louiziana3784: No way.**

**Princess345: You did! Congratulations.**

**Tigurzrox4520: Yeah and I was even shocked that I did.**

**Jimmy-jakd34: (emote of smiley thinking) maybe you were beaten too many times that you put your foot down. I don't know.**

**Tigurzrox4520: Maybe, but my reflexes were faster. (Emote of a smiley sighing) I have no clue, guys.**

**Louiziana3784: Hey, it's okay, Ti. We are there for you.**

**Princess345: Always**

_**Tigurzrox4520 has just signed off because she is tired.**_

Very loyal friends I had there. I threw myself to my bed, pulled the sheets over me, and went to sleep.

Chapter 6

"Lucy!" My teacher's voice came into my dreams again.

"Mrs. Barkley? Is there something wrong?" I called out, seeing nothing but a light. I could feel a wind, but it was feathery

She revealed herself in the light. "I sense danger in your path. I've seen this happen before to a newborn transforminitive human. It's so gruesome."

My eyes widened. "What do you mean? Am I going to die?"

She didn't answer. "I should've stopped when I was about to give you your powers. A bounty hunter senses a new transforminitive human, and that is you. Oh, Lucy, I'm so sorry. Forgive me."

I was shocked. "Forgive you? You made me go slack on Friday, you put me through the trials, and now you tell me that I'm in grave danger. Where in this context should I 'forgive you'?"

"The slack thing was for the council to see if you were transforminitive. It's the only way. Sure it makes people go slack and faint, and I am so sorry about that, but it can't be helped. Even the strongest of transforminitive humans can't break the slack and faint instinct. I tried once…"

"_You_ tried once?" I was more wide eyed.

"Yes, I am transforminitive, too. And I almost succeeded when my changer forced more of his power into me. Lucy, you have to understand."

"What would I understand? I was one hundred percent human before you forced your power into me! I didn't want any of this!"

"I understand that! Imagine the tortured look I gave the council when I was told I was supposed to give you your powers. I told them, 'She's not going to like this,' but they ignored me. They told me, 'Give the girl her powers,' and ignored every little comment that I slapped at them."

I gasped. "How awful. They sound ignorant."

"I know, and I'm really sorry," Mrs. Barkley ruffled my hair, even though this was a dream. "It pained me to see your expression when you were receiving them. It tortured me when the light came. I hope you understand enough to forgive me."

I thought on it. She didn't want to do it and it pained her when I went through it. I closed my eyes in my dreams and I said, "I forgive you."

"Thank you, Lucy, you don't know how happy this makes me," She smiled.

She hugged me and I was left to my own dream devices for a little bit.

Chapter 7

I woke up in a state of calm at seven and I could smell breakfast being made—pancakes, waffles, and the sharp tang of coffee.

That shocked me. Since when did my nose—oh the transforminitive powers.

I ran down the stairs with the speed of a cheetah.

"Whoa, Tiger, where's the fire?" Dad asked, chuckling at his newspaper.

"What fire?" I said, exhilarated. "I feel great."

Mom ruffled my hair. "That's fascinating. And we're going to church today."

I nodded. Mom, Dad, Julie, and I were Christians (or Protestants) for life. I was baptized at the age of ten.

We went to church and I saw Mrs. Barkley talking to my music teacher, Mr. E, so I went up to them. "Hi," I said shyly. "Could I borrow Mrs. Barkley for a minute, Mr. E?"

Mr. E nodded. "Of course. Anything for you, Ms. Talented."

If you are wondering, yes, he calls me by that and B. I am not spoiled rotten. He just happened to like me at the time.

"Thank you, Mr. E," I smiled.

We walked into the hallway. Mrs. Barkley knew why I pulled her over. "The bounty hunter isn't here yet."

"Thank…the earth?" I questioned. I get that way when I am in church.

"Yes, thank the earth, but don't forget the heavens," she smiled.

"Oh, thank heavens, and there is not an activated tower," I finished, smiling. Okay, I must confess, I love Code Lyoko. It's the best cartoon ever since Tom and Jerry.

"I know, and I'm worried. The bounty hunter will use tricks, traps, and more," she hastened and I could tell that she was scared.

"I think that's the point of a bounty hunter—using traps and such," I muttered.

"He's ruthless. And he's dangerous. Listen, Lucy, I may be a teacher, a psychic, and a power giver, but I am not a warrior. I was trained in the ways to heal people." She frowned.

I nodded. Healers were important too. "But what do transforminitive powers do?"

"They help enhance your senses, reflexes, and transform you into animals," she kept her tone low as did I.

"So that explains the animals dancing behind my eyelids."

"That's right. This is the only place that the powers feel inhibited," she put an arm around my shoulders and I let out an accidental predator-like growl. I went wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry. I'm new to this. I need help." Whimpering, I hung my head in shame.

"It's okay. Every new transforminitive, no matter how big or small, gets this way the second day. Predator-like and territorial too. I invaded your bubble and that stirred up the growl inside you," Mrs. Barkley said.

"When will the bounty hunter be here?"

"Either tomorrow or Tuesday," she shook her head. "The bounty hunter takes on every newborn transforminitive human. I wasn't taken on, but he knew that a new one may outdo him one of these days." She shuddered and her green eyes welled up with tears. I could smell her remorse on the subject.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Barkley. I just feel stressed out about this ever since the council had…you know…" I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.

"I know, too." We could hear the sermon go on in the sanctuary.

"Tengo miedo," I shuddered with my Spanish.

She sighed and I could feel her conflict. She pulled me in for a hug, and this time I didn't growl. This would only get harder, I assumed.

This time my assumption was right.

Chapter 8

I went to school on Monday in fear. The bounty hunter would soon be after me and I still had my whole life ahead of me. Where should I go? Not a friend's place or my boyfriend's house; then I'd be forcing them into peril.

Mrs. Barkley assisted by watching the door and windows for me while I worked.

Leshawna tapped my shoulder after science class. "What was Mrs. Barkley's deal? She didn't take her eyes off the windows and door for a minute!" She was angry.

I shrugged and had to lie. "I don't know. Why? Is there a law against it?" _Darn you, Lucy. You never lied to your best friends before;_ my conscience kicked my brain, if consciences had feet, that is.

_But, _my morals came in, _if she told her friends about her current situation, she would put her friends in danger._

_Still, Lucy, you never lied to your friends before. _

My thoughts kicked in. _If only I could figure out what I should do._

I went to music class with Mr. E. He had us sing a rendition of Good News. Watching the door, I feared about the enemy.

At lunch, I ate indoors. The nasty thing about fear is that it petrified you.

When art came around, we were supposed to paint our emotions out on paper. I had a hard time figuring out my emotion so I painted a cat with a paw in each world. I got an A+ on it for creativity and conflictions with the cat.

We had history next. I watched myself as we learned about World War I.

Becky tapped me on the shoulder after that class. "Now, what is _your_ deal? You've been jumpy ever since school started. First Mrs. Barkley acts weird, then you? What's going on? I have never seen you this way before."

"Me neither," Leshawna said as they cornered me. Then Marsha jumped in between me and my two friends.

She looked back at me with flashing brown eyes. It was a silent signal for "RUN! I'll hold them off."

I did as I was told and went to homeroom. Mrs. Sky looked at me with worry. Then the lights went out and guess who screamed like a banshee. If you guessed that I did, then you are correct.

"Don't panic! I'm sure that the backup generator will kick in soon," Mrs. Sky's voice told me.

I was shaking when the lights came online. Then not a second later they kicked off. Shrieking bloody Mary, I landed on the floor and, groping, I went underneath my desk.

"Now blowouts happen all the time, but—" Wrong words, Mrs. Sky. Very, _very_ wrong words.

I started sobbing. Suddenly, a light found me. Mrs. Sky found a flashlight and kept it near me. But she had told us not to move in a blackout. I looked up and immediately started whimpering in the _exact_ tone of a puppy. There was no mimicry. It was an exact tone.

"Gotcha!" said a spine-chilling, goose-bump-thrilling, gruff voice.

I stared into what I knew was the nose of a gun and froze, terrified. Suddenly, I transformed. It was weird but I changed into a cheetah.

Night vision and almost everything. Faking right, I broke left and ran out of the room and to Mrs. Barkley's room. The dark hallways didn't seem long at all as I hit seventy miles-per-hour.

Transforming back into human form, I called out, "Mrs. Barkley?"

"What's going on?" Her voice found me.

"He's here," I whimpered. "I think he caused this blackout."

Her hands found me, pulled me in, and pushed me behind her, closing the door. "If he wants you, he'll have to push through me."

"I thought that you weren't a warrior." She didn't stay silent.

"I was trained as a healer, but I can fight, too. As a healer, I have to defend myself, too, and others," I heard her say.

"Do you have any test tubes?" I asked her.

"Yeah, they are right…uh…there," I had to grope to find two test tubes. Then I broke off the rounded off ends so I could make weapons for myself.

"Ms. Scarborough," she scolded.

"Sorry, but I have to protect myself, too, if he pushes through you," I told her.

"Oh, that's right," Mrs. Barkley said. "I was about to say…"

"Save it! He'll be here any minute," I growled my predator growl.

"Right," Mrs. Barkley said.

We stood in a half-offensive half-defensive stance in front of the doorway. We didn't say another word. I sweated so much that my T-shirt was soaked to the fibers. I had to adjust my grips on the broken-ended test tubes every second.

Just then, the door broke down. I tensed up and, using my favorite Code Lyoko character's saying, I yelled, "IMPACT!"

But then something stung my armpit and it stung hard. I felt my vision double, but I found him, pounced on him, and started punching him with everything I had. "You are not getting your bounty today!" I shouted.

Transforming into a majestic bay thoroughbred I struck him with my horse head. After he was down, and as the lights came back on, I transformed back into a human, staggered, and I passed out.

Chapter 9

I woke up in the infirmary. Everything seemed to go in and out of focus. I looked to Mrs. Barkley's worried face. "Did we get 'em?"

She smiled with relief. "Yes, we got 'em."

"How did I pass out?" I croaked.

"Tranquilizer dart. I was surprised to see you hold on with all you got after you got shot. A newborn transforminitive, unlike you, would definitely pass out at the shot. You outdid that. I'm amazed," she sounded a little off, but I was fine.

Laughing a little goofy, I smiled. "You sound funny!"

"It's because of the dart's affects. It makes your hearing sound off."

"Still, why do they call it that?" I cocked a brow.

"What?"

"That. Ratatouille." She covered my mouth just in time before I blathered off.

"I believe some humor can be avoided right now." She let go of me.

I drifted a little out, but came back in a few minutes later. "How much time has passed by?" Feeling like crap, I tried to pull out of sedation. It wasn't fun.

"Not much. Do you think you want to stay at my place to recover? I can get rid of the sedation, but it will take three days," she ruffled my brown hair.

"Three days?" I slurred.

"A tranquilizer's effects can drum on a transforminitive for about a week," she sighed.

I was too drowsy to care. "Why not, but my parents and older sister…?"

"I already took care of it. I told them that you needed to stay at my place for three days for a student-teacher bonding time. They said yes."

So soon, I was drifting. But I brought myself to the forefront. "Is he in jail now? The hunter, I mean."

"That is a little more difficult," Mrs. Barkley said.

"But you said that we got him," I croaked.

"That doesn't mean that we didn't throw him in jail. After you passed out, he disappeared in a blur and I had to take you to the infirmary." She cared for the welfare of my status. Well, I was impressed.

"Okay," I understood.

Every object seemed to get clearer, but then fuzz away. Everything was too blurry to see.

She picked me up and walked me to the outside. It felt a little chilly, but the weather just turned to spring weather. I looked around in a stupor. "Where's your car?"

She carried me to a silver Saturn car. "Right here."

She laid me across the backseat and buckled me in. "We'll be at my house in about an hour. You can sleep for that long if you feel like it."

And how I needed it. Closing my eyes and yawning, I drifted off…

Chapter 10

I woke up on something soft. I automatically knew it was a couch. "Where am I?"

"At my house, Lucy, you were out for two hours," I heard Mrs. Barkley say.

I turned my head and saw her without her lab apron on. It looked natural, so I got used to it. Everything was still coming in and out of focus but I was still conscious.

I pushed myself up only to fall back down on my back on the couch. Sighing, I put my hands on my stomach.

"I wouldn't advise you to sit up for a while, you are still weak."

She was filling something in a beaker with strange green liquid. Curiosity consumed me as I asked, "What's that?"

"Something that'll help you with your sedation. I don't suggest you eat anything for this gives you a chance to heal," she informed me.

Her husband, whom I had only seen once, came in a few minutes later, saw me, turned to her, and asked, "Is she—"

"Transforminitive? Yeah, she is," She answered swiftly and politely. She was filling a syringe with the green liquid.

"'She get shot?" His dark brown eyes were filled with worry.

"Yes, she did, but what impressed me was that she held on longer than any newborn transforminitive human." I couldn't help but feel a flicker of pride.

"Tranquilizer dart?" He turned to me.

I nodded. "It was dark," I said, averting my gaze. "He shot me in the dark while I was ready to fight."

"And you held on the longest?" He turned to Mrs. Barkley. "How long did she hold out for?"

"About two minutes," she sounded accurate. "She did well for her sake and welfare."

I nodded, getting tired.

"She's been sedated hard, Robert. Hold down one of her arms, while I inject the antidote," she told Mr. Barkley.

Mr. Barkley has a muscular figure, so any chances of me fighting him were slim to none. He held down my right arm and a spike of fear went through me.

Mrs. Barkley inserted the needle in my bicep and a tremor of fear stroked my heart like it was my lover stroking my chin.

I held tight until the injection went through and she removed the needle.

"If this doesn't work, then blast my soul." Now, Mrs. Barkley, she never cursed, but to hear something like that was the closest thing to a swear that was ever uttered.

I drifted again, but I was able to stay awake that time. Close to a second later, I came back in.

Mrs. Barkley looked to her husband. "I think it's working." My vision was still blurring and stirring here and there, but I was able to sit up.

Later, given my laptop from home and a heat absorber, I was chatting with Marsha.

_**Tigurzrox4520 has just signed in**_

_**Princess345 has just signed in**_

**Tigurzrox4520—what was that back there with Leshawna and Becky?**

**Princess345—they were crowding you and I panicked. I had to do something.**

**Tigurzrox4520—Thank you for sticking up for me.**

**Princess345—Are you okay?**

**Tigurzrox4520—Yeah…y?**

**Princess345—there was a full-on blackout.**

**Tigurzrox4520—it's over now!**

**Princess345—and I heard u scream.**

**Tigurzrox4520—uh…**

**Princess345—Twice. (Emote of a smiley with a question mark above its head), Lucy?**

I knew that I had to tell the truth. Otherwise, she would find out eventually in front of me.

**Tigurzrox4520—Okay, so I'm still afraid of the dark, ya happy? I mean my gosh! Even after months of therapy, I'm still not over my fear.**

**Princess345—It's okay, Ti. I'm still afraid of snakes if that makes you feel better.**

**Tigurzrox4520—Okay, not a word of our fears to anyone, understood?**

**Princess345—my words are sealed.**

_**Tigurzrox4520 has just signed off because she is tired.**_

I really didn't know why the sedation would take about a week to get rid of without the antidote for a transforminitive, but I didn't care. As long as I could beat this, there was no way that the bounty hunter would get me in my state.

Chapter 11

I went to school that Thursday with my head held high. I had survived three days of no school and three days of being away from my home. I felt like I could conquer the world, if I wanted to. But my heart told me to stay paranoid. So I surveyed everything before I sat down in science class.

Becky looked to me. "Where were you for the past three days? We were creamed in volleyball."

A pang of guilt went through me. "I—I—uh…"

"And you missed out on Movie Tuesday in homeroom," Leshawna got on my case too.

I gulped. "Uh…what movie was it?"

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, your favorite film!" Becky shouted at me.

"It wasn't my fault I wasn't feeling well!" I shouted at them.

That statement left them faltering. "You weren't feeling well?"

"Is that your excuse for everything?" Leshawna lifted her arms to the sky. "You've been acting weird since last Friday. First you faint on us, and then you turn up absent for three days!"

"It's not my fault that I…" I was stopped by Marsha.

"She had gone through a lot lately, and we are supposed to be friends, remember? Friends don't get on friends for their absences," Marsha took over for me.

"But you saw Lucy!" Leshawna put her arms down.

"And friends don't get on friends for their faults," Marsha yelled at her.

I was just watching it all go down.

Just then, the door broke down, and I shrieked as I got under my desk. I put my head in between my legs for a few seconds. I lifted it and saw the bulky size of the bounty hunter.

Splinters of wood littered the ground. Usually the school doors were strong.

My heart nearly stopped and my eyebrows rose so high, I couldn't get them to relax.

The bounty hunter was unusually calm and that shocked me.

I sweated through my shirt.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the voice was so high that only my newly enhanced hearing could pick it up.

"Where is the new transforminitive?"

I could hear Marsha whisper, "No. No."

"I know she's in here somewhere." He looked around Mrs. Barkley's room. When he rounded the corner to the lab tables, I saw my escape. Saying a quick sorry to my friends, I ran out of the room, crashed into the principal, and then made the maddest dash to the exit.

I saw my friends look out the window when I was outside. I could never tell them the truth about what had happened to me, but I could show them.

Transforming into a hawk, I flew out into the open air. Sadness clung onto me as I flew away from the only home I ever knew. _This is it_, I figured; _I'm a freak of nature. My friends wouldn't understand. I'll have to live away from my home and school._

A shadow covered me and I looked up. My raptor vision could tell it was a falcon.

_You won't be alone, Lucy._

I then realized it was Mrs. Barkley.

_Why are you coming with me? What about your job as a science teacher?_

Mrs. Barkley swooped and came in line with me. _I could be fired or not fired at all, but you should know that I'll help you._

A new shadow covered the both of us. I looked up and saw another hawk, like me.

_Lucy, there is something I have to tell you._

I twitched my head in confusion. _Marsha?_

_I'm transforminitive, too._

If I were in human form I would have sighed. _Welcome to the club. We've got hippies, gypsies, freaks, and geeks. Jackets are free. This club is exclusive, transforminitives only. Blah, blah, blah._

Mrs. Barkley looked down and saw something. _I see an alley. We could land here, girls._

She swooped down to the ground and Marsha and I followed suit. We landed and transformed back to human forms.

I hung my head. "This is too dangerous."

"We won't give up," Mrs. Barkley rubbed my shoulders.

_Landing NOW!_

I looked up and saw a toucan. Probably no one, or so I thought. As soon as the bird landed, it changed to the form of my boyfriend. Ike?

"Ike?" I was shocked.

"I've been a transforminitive longer than you have, sweetie." He ran his hand through my hair. His spiky black hair was shining in the sun. His blue-green hazel eyes were warm. He had a six-pack under that Bon Jovi shirt and strong leg muscles inside those pants.

Ike was my beau, and now I learned that he was transforminitive. I didn't mind it.

"Strength in numbers," Marsha observed. "We are the only four, besides Mrs. Barkley's husband that are transforminitive."

I hugged my strong boyfriend and for the longest time, sobbed into his shirt.

Chapter 12

"So, what are we going to do?" I asked after I calmed down.

"Very good question," Marsha said. "The bounty hunter will definitely get us." She turned to Mrs. Barkley, who had just come back from getting all our favorite stuff that wasn't electronic except our cell phones. "What _are_ we going to do?"

"We'll have to think of something," Mrs. Barkley said.

"Well, since we all have night vision, and of course, sleep is important, too, who will take watch?" I felt it was time for that.

"We could take turns," Ike suggested.

"True," Marsha agreed.

I used the alphabet for our names. I-L-M but what about Mrs. Barkley?

"Mrs. Barkley? What is your first name?" I asked.

"My name is June," Mrs. Barkley told me.

I-J-L-M okay, now I see the alphabet order.

"Ike, you take watch first," Mrs. Barkley—or June—ordered. "I'll watch at—" she looked at the time on her watch—"Three in the morning. Lucy, you take watch the next night, and at three in the morning, wake Marsha."

I nodded. The night was coming on strong. Just for fun, I transformed into a brown wolf, curled up, and went to sleep.

Chapter 13

"Lucy!" June tapped my wolfish muscles.

I opened my eyes, stretched in wolf form, and yawned. _What's going on?_

"I saw him, we gotta go," she told me.

Transforming into a hawk, I preened a bit before saying, _Okay, I am ready._

She transformed into an eagle. We flew upward and met up with Ike and Marsha.

We beat our wings and flew out of the city.

_Once he catches us, what will he do with us? What will he do with me? I'm the target here!_ I almost stopped flying.

_I don't know, my sweet,_ my boyfriend said. _Just keep flying._

Everything was going to change I realized. We flew to a place called Lake Mead and landed near a cave. It had craggy rocks and a few places where vegetation popped out.

The hawks there were a little unfriendly to the toucan and the eagle, so Ike and June had to change into hawks (out of the hawks' vision). We explained that we were looking for a place to stay, and before we knew it, they transformed!

They looked to be teens of different ages and genders. One of them, a slender, black-haired girl came up to us and muttered, "You may transform back if you want to."

We all did. "Listen," I said. "We are…"

"Being hunted by that bounty doofus," another, a pretty blonde girl, assumed.  
We nodded. "But I'm the target." I squeezed my eyes shut, but opened them again.

"We've been hunted, too, different places, different times," a boy, about twelve it looked like, walked up and ruffled Marsha's hair a little.

"We've been in hawk form for years," complained a girl that looked to be in her twenties.

"Correction, _you _have, we came in when the bounty hunter caught whiff of us," the boy looked back to the woman.

"I had no clue that transforminitives could age in animal form," I was amazed.

"They can if they choose to. Otherwise they could encase their original age and stay young," the slender black-haired girl beckoned all of us forward. "I'm Maya, by the way."

"Hey! Just like what Jeremie called Aelita in Code Lyoko's XANA Awakens," I couldn't help saying that. It was just so cool to hear that there was a transforminitive like us named Maya. "My name is Lucy Scarborough, but you can call me Lucy."

"I've never heard of that show," Maya blushed. "I stayed here for three months and never heard of the show."

"Okay," I nodded. Besides Marsha, I was the only one who knew about Code Lyoko. "But, we could stay young in animal form without aging in human form? Like a Fountain of Youth?" I quirked a brow and looked at June, who looked to be in her thirties.

"Yes," Maya said. Turning my attention back to Maya, I felt some curiosity grow. "What happens to the transforminitive as they in animal form go through this Fountain of Youth process?"

"Nothing, they encase their age until they change back. Then they can age again—once back in human form," Maya said.

June put me behind her again, but I was used to it.

I was still shaky. "I don't like being hunted by the bounty hunter." I blushed in shame.

"We came to protect you, Princess," Ike called me by his pet name that he created for me.

"I know that, Ike, but what if it isn't enough?" I can be a what-if worst case scenario person at times.

"Then we'll just have to fight harder," Ike clenched his fists and got down on his knees. "Whatever we have to do to keep you safe, we'll do it. I'll give up my life for you if it comes to that. I swear on my grandma's deathbed that we'll get through this." I was almost appalled at his hit knees thing, but his speech was amazing.

My heart nearly stopped for three seconds. That was the closest thing to an Emmy Award Speech.

"Ike, that was the greatest speech I've ever heard from you!" I picked him up with a little difficulty and hugged him.

Just then I heard something whistling. I gasped. Did the bounty hunter find us? Not so sure, I yelled, "TAKE COVER!", threw my boyfriend to the ground and later myself.

Everyone scrambled out of the way. In the next instant, a not-so-friendly dart whizzed by and hit the cave entrance with enough force to crack it.

I swiped the sweat off my forehead. "Whew, is everyone okay?"

"No one is injured in the cave," June told me.

Looking down at Ike, I asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you. And thank you for saving my life, Ms. Action Girl," Ike reassured me without a note of sarcasm.

Maya came and helped us up a second later. "Good job, Lucy."

The twelve-year-old boy held out his hand and I took it as a handshake gesture. He grinned at me. "My name is Jules. Jules Hampton. I was here for two months."

I smiled back at Jules. "¡Encantada!"

"¡Oye! ¡Esta chica sabe hablar español!" He said. (Translation: Hey! This girl knows how to speak Spanish! Literal translation: Hey! This girl knows to speak Spanish)

Blushing madly, I giggled. "Es no problema." (Translation: It's no problem)

"No problem? What, was your family half Hispanic?" Jules crowed.

"No, I learned it with my studies and Rosetta Stone," I felt like I could breathe freely.

"The best of the best transforminitives sometimes come with second languages," June observed.

"That's true," Maya said.

"You're one of them." Ike ruffled my hair.

If blushes were any deeper than red, I would have gone purple with embarrassment. "Guys!" I muttered.

Chapter 14

That night, when the embarrassment had died down, and my face a clear Caucasian, we were discussing battle tactics. A few transforminitives had some decent ideas but they had flaws. But Maya had the best plan of all.

"If and when the BHD gets here—" BHD meant Bounty Hunter Doofus—"Lucy, you hide in this cave and wait for tunneling instruction. If he gets through our line of defense—" she drew the circle of defense in the dust—"You will go through the tunnel and into the next cave. When he sees that you aren't there, he might leave, or he might not."

"And if that happens…?" I pressed, that worry hanging off my mind.

"We'll be ready!" Jules reassured.

"We've been preparing for this day," the pretty blonde girl—her name Sweetie Silver—nodded.

"Is there a prophecy?" Ike asked.

"Strangely no," the one who complained—Isabelle Lee—shook her head.

"We've tried looking for one, but so far nothing," Sweetie said.

"Okay, disperse, everyone," Maya clapped her hands. "I'll take watch."

"But, June said that I should take it," I realized.

"We don't do things by alphabet." She was on my case in a matter of minutes, but she was calm and sympathetic. "Listen, I know what it's like. I've been hit by tranquilizer darts too many times to tell. I went through the pains. I was once his daughter."

I gasped. "You were?"

She nodded. "Before I became a transforminitive, the BHD and I were like friends. We fished, did what fathers and daughters were supposed to do—tease, fight a little, talk about some problems, the works. My mom was alive too, but she had cancer and was undergoing chemo treatments, so I didn't see her as often as I wanted. One day, I fainted at school—"

"Just like me," I understood.

"—and Dad knew that I would have to be asleep before the powers were received. So he forced me to play UNO all night, but then I fell asleep in the middle of the twenty-second game. He cursed out loud, trying to keep me awake. But for me, it was too late. I received the powers.

"He abused me after that, verbally and physically, but not—" she swallowed—"not sexually. I was forced out of the house at the age of thirteen. He yelled, 'You are not welcome here, anymore. You are not my daughter. You don't deserve the last name Sheppard!' I transformed into a hawk and came here because I knew I needed a place to stay.

"Isabelle took me in and I explained my problems. She helped me learn to love again. I took months of hardship from him." I saw tears form in her eyes.

"I swear, if I see your father ever again, I'll turn into a rhino and stake him through the heart." Rage forming in my heart, I had an angry and determined look on my face. "He won't hurt you again."

"Thank you, Lucy," Maya gave me a smile. "I like you! You know how to cheer me up."

"I was raised this way," I smiled, the look on my face helped.

She pulled me in for a hug and I felt her shake with heaving sobs of relief. "Thank y-you, L-Lucy. N-no one has e-ever said that to me in a long time. Thank you!"

"You're welcome!" I smiled. "So…after all of this, what will happen with you?"

"I don't have a home!" She whispered in my ear.

Just then an idea sparked. "I think I have an idea. The solution to all your troubles."

"What?"

"I could share my home with you," I announced in her ear.

"I'd hate to be of a bother," she muttered.

Man, when she and I get to my place, I'm definitely showing her all the Code Lyoko material I can find. That statement reminded me of Aelita.

"You aren't a bother. Sure, your dad forced you out, but hey, maybe you can find a whole new life with my family." She'd love my family! Oh, we were great.

"Really?" She lifted her head to meet mine.

"Really, really," I nodded.

"Thank you, Lucy," she smiled with the tears still in her eyes.

"Maya!" a red-haired boy—Thomas Putnam—came in between us, panic in his wild green eyes. "We've received word from Zach. The BHD is almost here."

"Get into position." Her voice was determined and calm once again.

I almost ran into the cave when an arm stopped me. "What are you doing, Maya?" Whipping around to find her, my eyes were full of worry and suspicion. "I'm supposed to be in the cave to wait for tunneling instruction."

"Change in lineup. You go to Jules, and wait there," Maya pushed me toward him and I nearly tumbled.

I shook in my Sketchers shoes. "But that puts me in the front lines!"

Maya didn't seem to hear me.

"What Maya thinks is best, I guess," Jules seemed unsure of her.

"When I give the signal, Lucy, run inside the cave," Maya sounded authoritative.

I nodded.

The enemy was nearing, I could smell it.

"NOW!" Maya yelled.

I ran inside the cave where Ike was waiting for me, but then I felt something at my back. "Ow!"

"Lucy!" Ike came by my side, worry crossing over him.

"It is okay, it's just a tranquilizer dart. It might hurt, but my adrenaline is stronger," I reassured, panting as I said it.

"Okay, he's left," Maya popped her head in.

"But he hit Lucy." He looked to her.

"Oh," Maya sounded mortified.

"It's alright," I managed to spit out.

The affects of the dart were working. Everything sounded funny again.

I heard something from Maya that sounded like, "Wick, get me Annie Goats!" and I had to laugh.

"But, did I slay slum thing?" She turned to me and I laughed harder.

"Girl, stop talking. You sound weird," I said between chuckles.

She whispered something in Jules's ears. Jules took one look at me and left.

My vision started dancing and dark, black stars started to cloud me.

"Slurry! Slurry!" Maya said.

A sharp pain went into my leg, but I blacked out at the last second.

Chapter 15

"'Think she's coming around?" I heard someone (obviously a girl's voice) say. The voice sounded nervous.

"I don't know," another (a boy's voice) said with an air of a surgeon. "That was to counteract the effects of the dart."

"Let me know if she wakes, Jules," the girl's voice then left.

I slowly opened my eyes to drink in the sight of the cave. It was the same, though I was resting on a cot.

"Hey, hey, Maya, she's waking up!" I saw Jules jumping up and down like a little boy about to open his Christmas presents.

Maya reentered the cave. "Hey, welcome back, girl."

"Thank you! By the way, who is Annie Goats?" I asked; my brain still was slush.

She cocked her head to one side, confused. "Who?"

"Annie Goats—who is she?" I asked, trying to sit up. "You said, 'Wick, get me Annie Goats' after I got shot."

She started laughing as if what I said was all a big joke. "No, no. I said, 'Quick, give me the _antidote_.' And I also said when you started laughing, 'what, did I say something?' I called for Jules to hurry." Man, she's good! And when I bring her home, she'll forget all her troubles.

"Oh…stupid tranquilizer," I muttered.

She nodded in understanding. "It affected your hearing."

"I know, and I hate that." I pounded an accidental hole in my cot.

"It stinks," Maya said, agreeing with me.

"If we are to win this battle, then we should stick to the plan that we originally had." Jules dabbed my forehead with a wet handkerchief. "Putting Lucy on the frontlines was far too dangerous."

I nodded, resting on the cot. "Yeah, I could have died."

"Okay, we'll stay with the original plan," Maya agreed.

One afternoon and two BHD alarms later, I was dirty from head to toe. It became routine, but I did not love it. I was washing my hair when Thomas came in.

"What is it? Another alarm?"

"Unfortunately," he nodded his face grim.

I sighed with annoyance. "Geez, will this guy _ever_ give up?" Walking to the cave to the tunnel, I shook my head.

"He's gotten through the defense lines!" Ike yelled from outside the cave. He sounded panicked.

I turned into a gopher and dove into the tunnel. _A gopher girl's gotta do what a gopher girl's gotta do._

I surfaced at the next cave. _Whew, I'm safe._ But I was wrong. Dead wrong. Looking up, I stared into the nose of a gun.

"Gophers aren't common in Lake Mead. Especially a wet gopher," a gruff voice said knowledgably.

_Oh crap!_

I was in deep whack. _Very _deep whack.

Chapter 16

I woke to the sound of dripping water. My arm hurt from where my captor hit it with a dart.

My enhanced hearing told me that it was an IV drip. It wasn't attached to me. It was somewhere else.

I pushed myself up and heard evil laughter. I growled. "Mr. Sheppard! Come out and fight like a man!" Jumping to my feet, keeping them about three feet apart, I spread out my fists. I heard something jangle.

"How clever. Did you figure things out on your own?" Mr. Sheppard didn't reveal himself.

"A friend told me." I kept Maya's name secret. Any mention and he'd go ballistic.

"Who?" He sounded impassive.

"I'm not going to tell you, Sheppard!" _Good job,_ I heard myself think, _keep going. You've got him right where you want him. Just don't spill his daughter's name._

"You will, or I'll…"

"You'll what? Destroy me?" I spat. _Nice._ "I could lick you with one punch." _Cool. Good use of _Tom Sawyer_ with a twist._

"Who IS YOUR FRIEND?" He yelled nastily.

"I'll give you a pleasant hint: hasta la vista!" I heard this cheer me on: _Great, now you've confused him. Good job, Lucy!_ I bolted for the door, but then I fell. I looked back and saw a chain on my ankle. I chuckled deviously. "Clever. But you've forgotten one thing." I turned my hand into a big paw and clawed at the chain, breaking it immediately. Getting up, I broke into a sprint to the door.

It was locked. But my plans grew in number and scenarios settled in. I turned into a strong gorilla and tore the door down. _This is too easy._ Turning back into a human, I rushed down the hall.

"You won't get away from me!" Mr. Sheppard yelled.

"If only Peter Duncan were here. He'd love it," I quarreled back sarcastically.

"You get back here, young lady!" It was then that I looked back and saw him. He was bulky, and shadows were under his gray eyes. But I kept running down the long hallway. Transforming into a cheetah I ran to the exit.

Fresh air hit me and I looked around. _Aw, s-crap! I don't know the way to Lake Mead._

_Help is raining down from the skies, Lucy._

I looked up. _Ike?_

A toucan landed beside me. _Get into hawk form, fast._

Doing as I was told, I leaped for the sky. There was a barrage of shots. I tried to dodge all of them. Ike lead me back as I swooped and dove to avoid getting hit.

As soon as we put some miles between the place I'd been and us, the shots stopped. _Thank God._

_What were you thinking? _Ike demanded.

_How was I supposed to know that the BHD was there? It isn't as if I gained psychic powers overnight. Psychic powers can be rare, Ike. And I'm not psychic._

_You're right. I'm sorry,_ he said.

_Besides, I'm tired from running and everything. Could we at least wait until we get to Lake Mead to discuss this?_

Ike thought on it. Then he spotted something. _Lake Mead ho, _he called.

_Thank you._

We landed and we were welcomed. "Lucy!" Maya came up to me. I had then turned into human form. She hugged me with such zeal, you would think it had been two years rather than a few hours.

"Maya, ow," I wheezed. She let go of me and I righted myself. June was hysterical too. She too hugged me. "Mrs. Barkley, ow. I'm still a little sore." I panted. _After she lets go of me, the next person that hugs me will feel me pass out._ She let go and I had to sit down for a bit.

Maya brought over some milk chocolate. "It'll help you feel better." But I refused. I was tired enough.

She understood. "We'll bring you over where you slept."

_Sleep sounds like a good idea right now._ I drifted in and out too much.

When June and Maya placed me on the cot I fell into blissful oblivion.

The next day was a blur of activity. Everyone was in excitement. "What's going on?"

"Today is Maya's birthday," Jules told me.

"It is?" I asked. The weather flitted warmly through the cave. Spring was on its way.

"Today is February 23rd, and she told me that you and your friends are the guests of honor." He and Ike picked up my cot and drove it to the outside.

"Take it easy, guys. I'm not used to being shoved all over the country." I bobbed up and down like a paddleball.

Soon we were where Maya was. Jules and Ike put me down then. She was happy. "Friends of this group. I'm glad to be turning one year older, but what really matters is that we have new friends, we're safe, and we'll go through another BHD alarm to live another day," she used a dramatic voice and dramatic gestures. "Ike, June, Lucy, and Marsha are our friends and will never betray us."

June nodded and beamed with pride.

A voice sounded from behind us. "BHD ATTACK!" It was our warning bell. "This time he shows no mercy, we—need to—ATTACK!" Zach's voice sounded panicked.

Maya paled. Her father was here and was going to attack us on her most special of days. She regained composure and drew instructions in the dirt. "Okay, we'll need some of the strongest people out there. Lucy, remember what you said to me two nights ago when the first BHD alarm went up?"

"That I'll turn into a rhino and…"

"Stake him through the heart," we said together.

"Yeah, we'll need you and Jules to do that," Maya smiled, as she knew what we would do.

Sweetie continued, "Healers, like June and yours truly, will wait for invalids. If and when he's been defeated, we'll raise the victory call. After, we will either depart immediately or stay here as immortal hawks. The BHD won't know what hit him."

I nodded in eager agreement. "We'll be the best out there."

"FOR TRANSFORMINITIVES EVERYWHERE!" Ike yelled.

"Yeah!" I smiled.

"Ready?" Maya yelled as if we were a football team about to do the winning touchdown.

"Break!" We all nodded briefly and broke huddle. I was about to go with Jules when Maya stopped me. "Be careful out there. My father—"

"Is ruthless, evil, abused you, and kidnapped me," I sighed. "I think I'm set."

"I was about to say, he can reveal hidden information," Maya whispered. "Like what happened to my mother."

That cut deep. I nodded. "I'll try to find out what I need."

"Good luck," she whispered as she let go of me.

"Thanks, you too," I said, sighing a little.

"Now get out there!" she smiled encouragingly, as if I was a girl going out for soccer for the first time.

Out on the field was almost a nightmare. The BHD was all mean. And I knew I could best him like I bested my sister a few nights ago. He was slapping the face cards this time. But I had unlimited chances. Transforming into a vicious mama bear, I went over to him and clawed his shoulder. He turned around and saw me. I roared into his face. He shriveled under my fierce gaze.

I turned back into a human, and said, "What happened to my friend's mom?" my ferocious gaze never left him.

"I—I don't know what you are talking about!" he sounded frightened. I tightened my grip on him and threw him to the water below the cliff.

"Okay," he surfaced and bobbed underneath the surface. "Okay! I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Jumping into the water, I turned into a whale and saved him. And if you are thinking Jonah and the Whale you have the wrong story, wrong book. We got to dry land, I turned back into a human and I threw him to the wall of the cliff.

"She died of her cancer," he told me. "This is Maya we're talking about, right?"

"¡Sí!" I growled. He abused my best friend, forced her out of her home, and I was not going to let him get away with it.

He shuddered under my grip.

I forced him up against it again. He was not going to be let off easily. "Why did you abuse her? She's your daughter! Why beat her up?"

That stopped him. And I took that as an excuse. He wanted to be let off easy, but I was stronger than him now.

"You tell me right now!" I seethed.

He didn't respond.

"You're going to force my friend and me to kill you!" I growled. Jules came up from behind me.

He stuttered. "I-I—"

It wasn't enough. So I turned into a rhino and, with help from Jules, staked him through the heart.

Just like I promised.

Chapter 17

"VICTORY!" Thomas yelled.

We all nodded. "We'll sleep easy tonight."

I, who had just washed herself in domestic cat form, was very satisfied. No more danger. A WORLD without it. Just the world for us.

Maya looked to me as I changed back to human form, confusion washing over her. "What did you find out about my mother?"

"I've no idea how to say it, but let's just say she's in a semi-moderate place," I sighed, trying for tact.

Maya frowned and whimpered.

"I'm really sorry, Maya," I said, sighing sadly with her. "I forced him to spit it out."

"No, it's okay. It's my fault," Maya said. "If I didn't become transforminitive, things—"

"There's nothing that you could do or say to change it," I said.

"I know," she sighed sadly.

"My family will understand," I said.

"All who wish to depart from this place may do so now, or forever stay here where they will immortalize themselves," Zach Quick—a skinny twelve-year old boy with blond hair—said as if he were a priest in a wedding con seriousness.

"Maya, do you want to stay here?" I asked, half-wanting her to come with me on the journey home, but also half-curious.

She took a look back, contemplation crossing her. "This was my home for just three and a half months, but…"

I nodded in understanding. "I see. If you want to stay, you can. I'm not forcing you to come with me. It was just an idea at the time."

Jumping into the air, I turned into a hawk and followed the eagle, the hawk, and the toucan for the journey home. _See you around, Maya._

"Lucy, wait!"

I stopped in flight. _Huh?_ Looking down, I saw Maya turn into a raven and fly with me.

_I want to go with you, Lucy. I really do. I don't want to be an immortal hawk. I want a mom and a dad that care about my differences instead of expecting me to be like them._

If I were human, I would have smiled. _My mom, dad and older sister don't mind my differences. Let alone that I'm the youngest in my family, they don't mind it at all._

_That's rough._ She cawed a little, and inside I laughed.

And I also knew that we were on the journey home. No bounty hunter doofuses coming after us. It was already smooth sailing from here.

We got home at seven thirty. Most of us were drained of energy because we flew about a hundred miles. We transformed into humans and we staggered like sailors getting off a ship.

"Next time when I say we EAT at Wendy's, we EAT at Wendy's," Ike yelled at June.

"Not my fault that I'd rather get home," June reprimanded. "I haven't seen my husband in days!"

"Guys, guys, GUYS!" I yelled the fighting getting on my nerves. "Fighting never solved anything worth crap, except for slavery, Fascism, Nazism, and Communism—but that's beside the point. So I suggest we all calm down and _not fight_."

Strangely enough, Ike and June stopped arguing. And all I was thinking was, _Whoa, did I just do that?_

"Whoa," Marsha smiled, impressed. "That stopped them."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Barkley," Ike almost sounded half his age. "I just get angry when I'm hungry."

Well that explained his clenching fists when he wanted to eat right away. Before I was a transforminitive, I always thought that he wanted to punch the guy or girl in front of him because he had mood swings or something. Now I've become transforminitive, I now knew that he got that way around food.

A light turned on in the house on the left and a window opened up. "Ugh, could you be quiet down there!" A familiar voice yelled. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Sorry, Leshawna!" I yelled up to her.

Her coffee brown face looked down to me in shock. "Lucy?"

"Yes, it's me," I nodded.

"We haven't seen you in days, girl," she yawned. Then her attention seemed to turn to Marsha. "Or you either Marsha. Where have you been?"

"It's a really long story," I yawned. "I'm sorry about missing school."

Leshawna's light went off and I heard thudding footsteps, an almost complete argument, more footsteps, and a little slight crash. A few seconds later an "I'm okay" emanated from the house. I rolled my eyes. Leshawna was almost always clumsy. The only time that her balance was in check was at school. After school, she would always be clumsy.

After a few seconds we heard the door open. Leshawna panted, "Come on in." Her brown hair was so out of place it looked as if she put a static balloon on her head and it turned out frizzy.

We nodded and came indoors.

"Sorry about my behavior, my mom was yelling at me for some reason or another," Leshawna yawned again.

"It seems that your mom yells at you a lot," Marsha sighed. "She was kind to you three months ago before Lucy's birthday."

She nodded, a sad flash in her eyes. "It hurts me to hear her yell."

I nodded. I heard this from Julie but before I was born, my mom and dad were thinking about getting a divorce. But by the time I was born, Mom and Dad stopped fighting and thinking about divorce. It was like I stopped it. And I would do it again if I needed to.

Ike smiled at me. "Tomorrow, we'll go home to our families."

"Yeah." I knew that fact as if it was burned into my brain. "It was great while the chase lasted," I whispered to him, a smile forming on my lips.

The next morning, Maya and I set off for home. I had to lead her there, since she was new to the neighborhood, but I didn't mind it. Ike and June went their way home too.

"And this is my home," I explained to my soon-to-be sister my two-story home. "It's not much, but I call it home."

"It looks good," Maya smiled excitedly. "I can hardly believe that soon, I'll be settled into my new life."

"Okay, here we go," I opened the gate and had Maya follow me up the walk to the door.

Opening the door, I hoped that my parents wouldn't mind my absence and Maya.

I was greeted by my sister Julie. "LUCY!" she squealed in excitement. "You're home!"

"That's my sister Julie, Maya," I told Maya. Then I ran up to Julie and hugged her. "I'm so glad I'm home!"

"Me too," She smiled. "Mom and Dad were so worried when you didn't turn up home Thursday."

"I know, and I'm sorry, Julie," I nodded.

Julie looked behind me to see Maya. "Who's this?"

I looked at Maya and looked back saying, "That's Maya. For three months she had to live at Lake Mead."

"That's horrible! What kind of person would force a girl to live there?"

"Apparently her now-dead father," I growled, keeping all animalistic growls to a minimum.

"He sounds like an abuser," she whispered in my ear.

I nodded. "He abused her, and forced her out of her house at thirteen."

"Well, I'm going to tell mom and dad about this, and ask if she could stay for life!" She announced loudly and I knew that she was going to. If she were to whisper, she wasn't going to do whatever she announced. I learned that the hard way when she had promised me a toy wolf at the age of five.

Mom and Dad came home at five o'clock in the afternoon. They saw me. "LUCY!" they were happy to have their youngest back and I was brought in for the hug of a life time. You would think I was gone for at least two years not two or three days.

"Where were you, Lucy?" Mom wept over me.

"I'm sorry, Mom." I shook in her grip. "I just—my life was in danger and I had to be away."

"Aw…" Maya chimed in.

I looked and said to Mom and Dad, "Um…on my on-the-run days, my teacher, friend, and boyfriend ran into a couple of friends. And this girl, named Maya, wanted to come to stay as a family member. Her mom and dad died."

"Aw…We can make more room for one more. What was her old last name?" Mom asked.

"Sheppard," Maya answered sheepishly.

Mom and Dad were unfamiliar with her last name and were shocked to see the guilt on Maya's face.

"Her dead dad abused her when he was alive," I told them in a serious whisper.

My parents were shocked. "But—how do you know that?" Mom asked me.

"Maya told me," I said.

"And is he gone?" Dad ruffled my hair in his worry.

I nodded. "Yes, he's gone."

"Good." He then turned to Maya. "And as for you, Maya, welcome to the family."

I held in a breath because I thought that he was going to throw Maya out into the streets, but when he welcomed her in, I let go of the breath.

"We always have room for one more," Dad smiled at her.

**Okay, this is where I stopped off at. I'll add more if I get it all the way finish.**


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